Piling and stacking apparatus



1938- c. P. KIMMEL ET AL 2,135,669

FILING AND STACKING APPAR ATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOV. 8, 1938. p K|MMEL ET AL 2,135,669

FILING AND STACKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H? m f a 00 E w @P F XV BF WV 3p U: Q? K A3 N :10 m: 9 Q

E4 \R n kfi R Q Q M [TZUVYZO Cfzarleg P K1 027/2. 6:] (Zlex JL'Qf/a fizz/10m Patented Nov. 8, 1938 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,135,669 FILING AND STACKING APPARATUS Application February 8, 1936, Serial No. 63,010

12 Claims.

The invention relates to apparatus for automatically piling or stacking metal strips or plates successively on top of each other.

In the manufacture of strips, plates or sheets it is desirable when they come direct from the rolling mill in uniform and predetermined dimensions that they be rigidly piled on top of each other with the side edges and ends in alignment. The customary apparatus for this purpose generally comprises a horizontal platform which may be either stationary or movable, to which the strips are delivered by a pair of driven pinch rollers and on which the strips are aligned longitudinally by a stop or bumper at the far end of the platform, whereby strips are evenly and orderly piled successively on top of the preceding strip.

It has been found in practice that there are limitations with respect to the relation of the speed at which the strip is moving and the suddenness with which it can be brought to rest without buckling, upsetting or otherwise becoming damaged, the extent of the damage depending upon the speed at which the strip is moving when suddenly brought to rest by contact with the stop or bumper. It has also been found that the conventional methods used at the present time are inadequate with respect to evenly and -uniformly piling strips to prevent adversely affecting the metallurgical uniformity of the material and entailing a considerable loss in rejected material.

An object of the invention is to provide improved piling or stacking apparatus which will stack metal strips, plates or the like in perfect alignment and which will not mechanically damage the strips or plates so that the loss in rejected material is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide piling or stacking apparatus which will stack strips or plates in perfect alignment and with much greater speed, thereby increasing the rate of production of said articles.

A further object is to provide apparatus of the character described wherein the strips from the pinch rolls will be deflected upwardly to cause the material to jump through the air to the piling platform in order to more rapidly dissipate the energy in the material due to its velocity and bring the same to rest.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is an elevational view showing a general arrangement of the improved stacking or piling apparatus including the roll table, pinch rolls, delivery guide chute and stacking platform;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the stacking platform showing the side guards and the openings in the base of said platform;

,Figure 3 is an elevational view of the stacking platform in lowered position where the stack of metal strips or plates are automatically raised to facilitate their removal.

Figure 4 is a detail elevational view showing a modified form of bumper; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing the structure for elevating the stop for holding the stack of metal strips supported by the platform.

Referring to the drawings. the metal strips or plates H) are delivered from the rolling mill, not shown, directly to a roller table I I, the strips having been previously cut to the desired lengths. The table II is pivoted at its forward end l2 and is also pivotally connected at l3 to the stand H which is vertically adjustable by means to be presently described. Thus, the roller table is likewise vertically adjustable so that the rollers 15 are maintained in proper alignment with the pinch rolls I6. The pinch rolls are suitably journalled in the stand it and driven by an electric motor or other means. The drive to the pinch rolls rotates said rolls at a slightly higher peripheral speed than the speed of the strip on the roller table in order to open a gap between successive strips delivered by the pinch rolls. The purpose of the gap between successive strips is to permit stacking of a strip in the stacking platform before the next succeeding strip is delivered thereto. The stand I4 is supported on the foundation I l by the threaded screws I8 which can be raised or lowered'by any suitable gear mechanism such as 20. In this manner the pinch rolls l6, supported by the stand, are raised and lowered. Also mounted on stand I is a delivery guide 2| which essentially consists of a plate having upstanding si'le guards and which in operation serves to deflect the strips upwardly as will be evident from an inspection of Figure l. Said delivery guide is pivotally supported by the stand as at 22 and its inclination may be varied by the turnbuckle 23 to suit particular operating conthis device may be replaced by other means such as a motor drive for effecting adjustments in the inclination of the delivery guide.

The metal strips upon leaving the delivery guide are traveling in an upward direction approximately at an angle of thirty degrees with respect to the horizontal and are eventually delivered to a stacking platform designated in its entirety by numeral 24. The platform in turn pivotaliy connects at its forward end as at 25 with the base member 26 supported on the foundation by means .of rollers 21 which have rolling movement on tracks 26. The base member 26 spans a well 30 designed to receive the gear segment 3| fixed to the platform 24 as shown in Figure 3. Gear segment 3| has meshing engagement with pinion 32 flxed to shaft 33 suitably journalled in the base member 26. Depending from the base member is a driving motor 34 having a rotor shaft 35 which is suitab y connected by means of gears housed in casing 36 with the shaft 33, whereupon said shaft is rotated to effect raising and lowering of the platform 24 which pivots on its axis 25.

' The stacking platform is more particularly shown in Figure 2. Referring to this figure, it will be seen that the platform includes a base 31 having a number of anguiarly disposed openings 38 therein and being provided with pivoted side guards 40. Said guards are provided with coil springs 4| in order to cushion the impact of the metal strips against the guards and thus prevent any damage to the metal strips. Each guard is supported for pivotal movement and is connected as at 42 to an elongated rod 43, connecting at one end with the gear segments 44 pivoted on pins 45. A connecting rod 46 operated by crank 41 comprises suitable means which may be employed for moving gear segments 44, thereby impartial axial movement to the rod 43 and effecting adjustment of the guards 40 to suit the width of the metal strips being stacked. The stacking platform is also provided with a vertically adjustable stop 50, Figure 5, having formed along one side thereof the rack 5|. The pinion 52 meshing with said rack is suitably driven by the bumper I54 is pivoted to the platform at I55 and is yieldingly held in substantially upright position by the coil spring I56.

Before operation of the piling and stacking I apparatus above described, the stacking platform 24 is elevated by motor 34 which rotates pinion 32 meshing with the gear segment 3| until said platform assumes the proper inclination. The stand I4 supporting the pinch rolls I6 is likewise adjusted vertically until the delivery guide 2| assumes a proper position with respect to the stacking platform 24. The inclination of the delivery guide may be also adjusted by actuation of the turnbuckle 23. The apparatus is now ready to receive and stack the metal strips and plates delivered to the pinch rolls I6 by the roller table II. As previously explained, the

ditions. The turnbuckle is hand operated but pinch rolls accelerate the speed of the strips to provide a gap between successive strips leavin the pinch rolls. This feature in the operation of the apparatus enables a strip to be stacked on the platform 24 before the succeeding strip is-completely discharged by the pinch rolls. The strips engage the delivery guide 2| which is inclined at an angle substantially parallel with the inclination of the platform 24. The strips upon striking said guide are directed upwardly and due to the increased speed of the pinch rolls I6 the strips have sumcient momentum to travel upwardly in a direction substantially parallel with that of the platform until their leading edge strikes the bumper 54. This upward travel of the strip rapidly dissipates the energy due to its velocity and the strip therefore contacts the bumper with. considerably reduced force, being thus gradually brought to rest without damage to the strip. The direction of travel of the strip is now reversed and the same slides downwardly until its lower end contacts the stop 50. It will be observed that the strip is located centrally of the platform, being confined between the guides 40 which can be adjusted to accommodate strips of various widths. The guides also yieldingly contact the sides of the strips. and thus any damage to the strips due to impact with the guards and the pile of strips on the platform 24. By

elevating the stop 50 the increase in the height of the pile of strips is taken care of, which, however, at all times is out of the path of the strip being directed upwardly by the delivery guide 2|.

When the pile of metal strips has reached the desired height the operation is stopped and the platform 24 is lowered until it assumes a horizontal position as shown in Figure 3. The base 26 is provided with a plurality of uprights 51 which are disposed at an angle to coincide with that of the openings 33 in the base of platform 24. The uprights therefore pass through the openings 38 as the patform is lowered onto the base 26 and the pile of metal strips is automatically elevated, providing clearance under the pile for inserting bars or other means, thus facilitating removal of ,the pile by a crane or the like. The openings 38 and uprights 51 are disposed at an angle as shown in Figure 2 in order to accommodate metal strips of various widths and at the same time provide adequate support for the strips.

The base member 26 is mounted on rollers 21 which have rolling movement on rails 23 in order that the entire structure including the platform 24 may be moved with respect to stand I4. It is customary to provide at least two structures comprising a platform 24 and base member 26 for stacking strips delivered by a pair of pinch rolls since in this manner the pinch rolls can have substantially continuous operation. While one stacking platform is receiving and stacking the strips theother platform is disposed horizontally and the pile of strips thereon is being removed. Thus by alternating between two or more platforms the pinch rolls I6 need be stopped only for a short interval to permit the platform to be moved into position and properly elevated. 7

The improved piling and stacking apparatus of the invention can be operated at a much greater speed than has heretofore been possible since the energy in the strip is more rapidly dissipated by reason of its upward direction of movement. The strip is in eifect discharged by the pinch rolls and given an angular upward motion, causing it to jump through the air to the inclined stacking platform. The leading edge of the strip engages bumper 54 to yieldingly bring the strip to' rest without damaging said leading edge. The strip slides into place with a reverse direction of movement and is eventually brought to rest by the stop 50 with its edges in perfect alignment with the underneath strips.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of the construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with means for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of means changing the direction of travel of said strips to morerapidly bring said strips to rest, and a pivoted stacking platform having an inclination substantially parallel to their changed direction of travel during the stacking of the strips but being horizontally positioned for removing the stacked strips as a unit therefrom.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of means increasing the velocity of said strips to increase the gap between successive strips, a delivery guide receiving the strips from said means and changing their direction of travel from the horizontal to a direction inclined upwardly to more rapidly bring said strips to rest, and a pivoted stacking platform for stacking the strips with their edges in alignment, said platform having an inclination substantially parallel to the upward travel of said strips.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of pinch rolls having a peripheral speed greater than the speed of the strips delivered thereto to increase the gap between successive strips, a delivery guide receiving the strips from said pinch rolls and changing their direction of travel from the horizontal to a direction inclined upwardly to more rapidly bring said strips to rest, and a pivoted stacking platform for stacking the strips with their edges in alignment, said platform having an inclination substantially parallel to the upward travel of said strips.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of pinch rolls having a peripheral speed greater than the speed of the strips delivered thereto to increase the gap between successive strips, a delivery guide receiving the strips from said pinch rolls and changing their direction of travel from the horizontal to a direction inclined upwardly to more rapidly bring said strips to rest, a pivoted stacking platform positioned to receive said strips, a bumper provided by said platform for engaging the leading edge of the strip, and a stop provided thereby for engaging the lower endof said strip, whereby said platform stacks said strips with their edges in alignment.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of pinch rolls having a peripheral speed greater than the speed of the strips delivered thereto to increase the gap between successive strips, a delivery guide receiving the strips from said pinch rolls and changing their direction of travel from the horizontal to a direction inclined upwardly to more rapidly bring said strips to rest, a pivoted stacking platform for receiving said strips, a bumper located at one end of said platform for engaging the leading edge of the strips, a vertically adjustable stop provided by the platform for engaging the lower end of the strips, and guards pivotally secured to the platform for contacting the side edges of said strips.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of means directing the strips from the roller table in an upward direction to more rapidly dissipate the energy in said strips due to theirvelocityand bring the same to rest, said means being vertically adjustable, and a stacking platform for receiving and stacking said strips with their edges in alignment, said stacking platform being pivoted at its lower end and having an inclination during the stacking operation substantially parallel to the upward travel of said strips.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or 'the like, of means receiving the strips from the roller table and changing their direction of travel from the horizontal to a direction inclined uphardly, a. pivoted stacking platform positioned to receive and stack said strips, a base member to which said platform is pivotally secured, and uprights projecting from said platform for elevating the pile of strips on the platform when the same is horizontally positioned to facilitate removal of the pile as a unit.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of means receiving the strips from the roller table and changing their direction of travel from the horizontal to a direction inclined upwardly, a pivoted stacking platform positioned for receiving and stacking the strips, said platform having an inclination during the stacking operation substantially parallel to the upward travel of said strips, and said means being vertically adjustable to accommodate the increase in height of the pile of strips on said platform.

10. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a. succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of means receiving the strips from the roller table and changing their direction of travel from the horizontal to a direction inclined upwardly, a pivoted stacking platform for receiving and stacking said strips. a stop provided by said platform for aligning the lower edges of the strips, said stop being vertically adjustable to accommodate an increase in the height of the pile of strips, said means also being vertically ad- Justable to accommodate said increase in the height of the pile, and means supporting said platform for bodily movement at right angles to the longitudinal axes of said strips.

11. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or 'the like, of means receiving the strips from the roller table including a pivoted stacking platform for stacking the strips, and a stop provided by said platform for aligning the lower edges of said strips, said stop being vertically adjustable to accommodate an increase in the height of the pile of strips on said platform. g

12. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a roller table for longitudinally delivering a succession of metal strips, plates or the like, of means receiving the strips from the roller table including a pivoted stacking platform for stacking the strips, said platform having an inclination during the stacking operation and said strips having a direction of movement substantially parallel thereto after leaving said roller table, and a stop provided by said platform for aligning the lower edges of the strips, said stop being vertically adjustable to accommodate an increase in the height of the pile of strips on said platform.

CHARLES P. KIMIMEL. ALEX K. HAMILTON. 

